Sydney’s crazy about ballet. It’s home to the prestigious Australian Ballet Company and the city’s annual Ballet International Gala is a true calendar highlight. But beyond the traditional ballet conventions, the city’s all about embracing innovation too. And this season, Ballet of Lights in Sydney is causing quite the stir in the ballet world…
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What is Ballet of Lights?
It’s a series of dance shows where costumes fitted with fibre-optic lights illuminate every move. Through vivid colours, graceful choreo and a radiant glow, six ballerinas bring familiar favourites to life in a whole new way. And because each performance is an abridged version of the original three-hour ballet, audiences stay captivated right until the final plié.
Ballet of Lights in Sydney: Which story is being performed now?
Every Ballet of Lights show takes place over the course of 60 minutes and is suitable for attendees aged 5 and over. New stories are set to be added to Ballet of Lights’ book of fairytales soon, but for now, here are the shows shining in Sydney this season:
Sleeping Beauty
A wicked fairy, an enchanted kingdom and a heavy-eyed princess — Sleeping Beauty is a literary classic. First published in 1697, the story has since been reimagined countless times, perhaps most notably by the Russian composer Tchaikovsky. Set to recorded compositions like “The Sleeping Beauty, op. 66″, this ballet show transforms the dreamy fairytale once again, only this time into a spectacle of dance and light that still preserves that timeless Tchaikovsky magic.
Peter Pan
J. M. Barrie’s original 1902 novel about the boy who wouldn’t grow up is getting the Ballet of Lights treatment too this season. Back in 1954, the ballet version choreographed by Jerome Robbins premiered in NYC. Now, over 70 years later, this interpretation is taking on a glowing new look. Recorded works like “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by Mendelssohn and “Hungarian Dance no. 5″ by Brahms accompany this illuminated dance performance that drops audiences straight into Neverland.
Cinderella
Cinderella is a story that has charmed generations, from Charles Perrault’s “Cendrillon” in 1697 to the Brothers Grimm’s darker “Aschenputtel” in 1812. In 1945, Sergei Prokofiev transformed it into one of the most celebrated ballets, capturing the magic of kindness, hope, and transformation. This Ballet of Lights performance follows her journey with a rich musical program, including the William Tell Overture, Debussy’s Clair de lune, Saint-Saëns’ Danse Macabre, Tchaikovsky’s Serenade in C Major, Op. 48 – II. Walzer, and more, blending timeless music with a luminous retelling of the fairytale.
Ballet of Lights Reviews in Sydney
Ballet of Lights has already received countless five-star reviews in Sydney.
“Brilliant and beautiful” – Sleeping Beauty, 5 July
“ballet of lights sleeping beauty was a spectacular show the costume design the dance choreography” – Sleeping Beauty, 6 June
“Very entertaining, so much happening on stage that kept my interest going. Great storytelling conveyed by your beautiful dancers.” – Peter Pan, 29 June
“Absolutely loved every second” – Peter Pan, 29 June
No matter your age, some stories never lose their sparkle, and Ballet of Lights lets you experience the magic all over again inside the Seymour Centre this season. Gleaming colours, timeless choreo and a touch of nostalgia — the winning combo that keeps people coming back to these ballet shows in Sydney.